The material can be traced back to 2011, when Stompin' Tom entered the studio with plans to make a 10-album set made up of old songs that he played in the early years of his career. He first learned these songs back in the '50s, before he had penned most of his own hits; at that time, he apparently knew more than 2,500 songs from memory.

Most of the tracks feature nothing more than the Connors' guitar and voice. In addition to covers, there are a few of the songwriter's favourite original tunes, which were selected by his wife Lena.

"Thank you to all Tom's fans who have supported him over the years. Supporting Stompin' Tom meant you were supporting Canada, and that meant the most to him," the singer's family said in a statement. "We hope you will enjoy the selection of Old Time Country Songs that Tom started his career singing and know that the Family will continue to make these new recordings available for years to come."

See the tracklist below. Look for more volumes in this series to follow in due course.

In related news, Summerside, PE, will stage a version of the theatrical production The Ballad of Stompin' Tom this summer.